Dissatisfied consumers have filed a class action lawsuit against Azek Building Products Inc. over the poor performance of Azek Deck Boards.

A Bel Air, Maryland man and another from Pinckneyville, Illinois purchased Azek decking material in 2009 and 2011, respectively, relying on the manufacturer’s claims that the synthetic material is “low maintenance” and avoids many of the drawbacks of traditional wood decking. The plaintiffs allege that their decks developed a range of problems, including stains, fading, discoloration, splitting, and mold and mildew damage.

Azek Deck Boards are a synthetic building material made of polyvinylchloride (PVC). The company’s promotional literature says that Azek decking requires little maintenance and, unlike natural wood decks, decks and docks made of Azek Deck Boards would not exhibit the problems – such as cracking, splitting, fading, chalking and streaking – natural wood develops with exposure to sun, heat, and moisture. The plaintiffs say the defendants knew or should have known, however, that PVC decking is highly susceptible to these types of color and performance degradations when used outdoors, where it is exposed to ultraviolet radiation and heat.

Parker Waichman LLP and its co-counsel filed the class action lawsuit on April 25, 2013, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois (Case No.3:13-cv-00402-WDS-SCW). CPG International Inc. and Azek Building Products Inc. have been named as defendants.